When you request a data export from your Mastodon account, the server generates a ZIP archive containing your account data. Many users download this archive expecting a full backup of their entire Mastodon history, including media files and private messages. The archive is not a complete backup of everything on your instance. It contains structured data files and some media, but it omits several important categories of content. This article explains exactly which data is included in the Mastodon export archive, which data is excluded, and what you must do separately to preserve your full account history.
Key Takeaways: What the Mastodon Export Archive Contains and Omits
- Settings > Import and export > Export data: Generates a ZIP archive with JSON files for your account data and some media files.
- Included data: Your toots, followers, following lists, lists, bookmarks, domain blocks, and uploaded media files.
- Excluded data: Direct messages, account passwords, private mentions, and media from other users’ posts.
Understanding the Mastodon Export Archive Structure
Mastodon uses the ActivityPub protocol, which stores your account data in a structured format. When you initiate an export, the server compiles your data into a single ZIP file. The archive contains two main components: JSON files that represent your account metadata and social graph, and a media folder that holds files you have uploaded.
The JSON files follow a standardized schema that other Mastodon instances or compatible software can read. This design allows you to import the archive into a new instance if you decide to move your account. However, the archive is not a database dump of the entire instance. It only includes data that belongs to your user account.
JSON Files in the Archive
Each JSON file covers a specific category of your account data. The filenames are self-explanatory:
- outbox.json — All your public and unlisted toots, including their content, timestamps, and visibility settings.
- likes.json — Every toot you have favorited, identified by its URI and the account that posted it.
- bookmarks.json — Toots you have bookmarked for later reference.
- actor.json — Your profile metadata: display name, bio, avatar URL, header image URL, and account creation date.
- following.json — A list of accounts you follow, including their ActivityPub actor URIs.
- followers.json — A list of accounts that follow you, with their actor URIs.
- lists.json — Any lists you have created and the accounts assigned to each list.
- domain_blocks.json — Domains you have muted or blocked at the account level.
- muted_users.json — Individual accounts you have muted.
- blocked_users.json — Individual accounts you have blocked.
Media Files in the Archive
The archive includes a folder named media_attachments that contains the image and video files you have uploaded to your own toots. This includes profile pictures, header images, and any media attached to your posts. The files are organized by the date they were uploaded, using the original filenames from the server.
Mastodon does not include media files from other users’ toots in your archive. For example, if you reposted a toot that contains an image, that image will not appear in your archive. Only media you directly uploaded is included.
What Is Not Included in the Mastodon Export Archive
Several categories of data are intentionally omitted from the export archive. Understanding these omissions helps you avoid surprises when you try to restore your account on a new instance.
Direct Messages and Private Mentions
Mastodon does not include direct messages in the export archive. This is a deliberate privacy design. Direct messages on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted, but the platform treats them as private conversations between participants. Because the archive could be downloaded by anyone with access to your account, excluding DMs prevents accidental exposure of private communications.
If you need a record of your direct messages, you must manually copy them or use a third-party tool that accesses the Mastodon API. No official export method provides this data.
Account Password
Your account password is never included in the export archive. Mastodon stores passwords as salted hashes in its database, and the export process does not extract those hashes. When you move to a new instance, you must set a new password during account creation. The export archive cannot be used to log into another account.
Private Mentions in Toots
Toots that are set to Followers-only or Mentioned people only visibility appear in your outbox.json file, but their content is included. The visibility setting is preserved in the JSON data. However, if you have a toot that mentions another user privately, that toot is still exported as part of your outbox. The recipient’s reply to that toot is not included unless the recipient also exports their own archive.
Media from Reposted or Favorited Toots
As mentioned earlier, media files from other users’ toots are not included. If you want to save an image from a reposted toot, you must download it manually before exporting. The archive only contains the JSON metadata for those interactions.
Instance-Specific Data
Data that belongs to the instance as a whole is not included. This includes the instance’s custom emoji set, local timeline data, and moderation actions performed by instance administrators. The export is scoped strictly to your user account.
Common Misconceptions About the Mastodon Export Archive
Several myths about the export archive persist among Mastodon users. Clearing up these misconceptions helps you set realistic expectations.
Myth: The Archive Is a Full Account Backup
Many users assume the archive contains everything needed to recreate their account exactly on a new instance. As shown above, direct messages, passwords, and other users’ media are missing. The archive is best described as a data portability tool, not a complete backup.
Myth: You Can Import the Archive Into Any Mastodon Instance
While Mastodon does support importing some data from the archive, the import process is limited. You can import your following list, lists, domain blocks, and muted accounts. You cannot import your toots, followers, or media files through the standard import interface. The outbox.json file is primarily useful for migration tools or manual reference.
Myth: The Archive Contains All Your Private Data
The archive does not contain your account’s authentication tokens, session data, or IP logs. Mastodon servers may retain this data in their database, but it is not part of the export. If you are concerned about privacy when leaving an instance, you should delete your account after exporting, not rely on the archive to remove server-side logs.
Mastodon Export Archive vs Full Account Data Request
| Item | Export Archive | Full Account Data Request |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | User account data and uploaded media | All data the instance holds about your account, including server logs |
| Direct messages | Not included | May be included depending on instance policy |
| Media from other users | Not included | Not included |
| Password hash | Not included | Not included |
| IP logs | Not included | May be included under GDPR or similar regulations |
| How to request | Settings > Import and export > Export data | Contact instance administrator directly |
If you need a complete record of all data an instance holds about you, including server-side logs and direct messages, you must submit a formal data request to your instance administrator. The export archive is a self-service tool that covers only the categories listed in the JSON files above.
You can now confidently use the Mastodon export archive knowing exactly what it contains and what it leaves behind. To preserve your direct messages, copy them manually before exporting. For a full data record, contact your instance administrator and request a complete data export under the applicable privacy regulations. Remember that the archive is a portability tool, not a backup — always download your media files separately if you need them for archival purposes.